Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway--Where Is The Love (1972)

     We see examples in music of duos who do much better together than separately. Although Roberta Flack maintained a strong career on the charts through the 70's and part of the 80's, Donny Hathaway's success always seemed to be linked to his female duet partner.
     Hathaway received an scholarship to Howard University and went there three years before quitting to pursue his professional avenues. He first worked behind the scenes as a songwriter, producer and session pianist for a number of stars such as Aretha Franklin, The Staple Singers, and Jerry Butler. He also sang in "The Mayfield Singers" who would back The Impressions. Soon, he became the house producer for Mayfield's Custom record label.
     Atco Records was interested in Hathaway as a solo performer and signed him to their label in 1969, but the first few efforts didn't go far. However, his first album in 1970, "Everything is Everything" has become somewhat of a soul classic.
     I've read in some materials on the internet that it was during their time at Howard University that Flack and Hathaway were friends and this led to them working on music together. It sounds good, but that's not true since Flack was offered a scholarship at the age of 15 (one of the youngest to ever enter the university) in 1952 and graduated at the age of 19 when Hathaway was 11.
     The real story is that Flack included one of Donny's compositions on her "First Take" album in 1969 ("Our Ages or Our Hearts"). The next album not only included "Gone Away" written by Hathaway and Curtis Mayfield, but he was the arranger on the disc as well. It was Jerry Wexler who suggested an album of duets.
     The result was the album, "Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway" in 1971 which gave them a minor hit with the James Taylor song, "You've Got A Friend". In fact, both the duo's and Taylor's version came out on the same day, and while JT's version went to number one, it certainly gave both much needed exposure.
     This was especially true of Flack who just a short time later hit number one with, "The First Time Every I Saw Your Face",  a song from the Clint Eastwood movie, "Play Misty For Me". In the summer of 1972, Atlantic chose to take the song, "Where Is The Love" off of the duet album which became a top five hit, and won the pair a Grammy as well. The next solo outing for Roberta was, "Killing Me Softly With His Song" which became another number one hit and propelled her into superstardom.
     Hathaway however continued having problem making it big as a solo artist. His problems with mental illness also became a problem, not only in his personal life, but in his relationship with Flack. He had been diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic and as long has he was taking his medication he was fine. His wife later admitted that he was not always diligent in this respect and it eventually effected all of his relationships.
     Although Donny had a few top 20 hits on the R&B charts, he was never able to translate this into overall success. He did some television work, including recording the theme song to "Maude" and produced some as well, but much of the mid-70's was spent working in small clubs and having several bouts in the hospital for his emotional issues. Later in the decade he reconciled with Flack and the two went back into the studio to record what would be another huge hit, "The Closer I Get To You" in 1978. The pair were making plans to release another duet album when Hathaway was found dead in January of 1979 after falling from his 15th story apartment. There were no signs of struggle and the sliding door was neatly moved, which led investigators to rule it a suicide. He was 33. 

  
     

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Freddie Hart--Easy Loving (1971)

      Every time I post a country song on here, the same type of emails come in, "This ain't rock and roll". Well no kidding. At the same time, no matter what era that it had been recorded, if it makes it on to the top 20 on the pop charts, then it has something going for it. In 1971 Freddie Hart had a huge hit with "Easy Loving" which just goes to show that a good song is a good song no matter what genre it comes from.
     Hart was born in rural Alabama and had just a minimal education. He had quit school before he was a teenager to go work, and a few years later lied about his age at the outset of World War II to get into the military. He saw action in Iwo Jima and Guam. On his release, he settled in California where he taught self defense courses at the LA Police Academy. He also began to perform and write which led to a recording contract in 1953 with Capitol Records. This never led to much, but ended up getting his first big break when Carl Smith covered his song, "Loose Talk" in 1955. He continued to write for artists such as Patsy Cline and George Jones. His switch to Columbia Records in the late 50's began to bear some fruit with the song, "The Walk" in 1959.
     The 60's found him having middling success, especially in the latter part of that decade. It was his return to Capitol in 1969 that marked the beginning of his most fruitful period. He had become a part of what was known as the "Bakersville Sound" which had been made so popular with Buck Owens. "Easy Loving" in 1971 not only became his first number one his on the country charts, but did well enough to climb to number 17 on the pop charts as well. It began a streak of five number 1's in a row (he had six total) from 1971 to 1973. He became a country star for the entirety of the decade.
     He has continued to record traditional country and gospel over the years since 1980 and in his 80's continues to remain active in music and his love for painting.

 

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Major Harris--Love Won't Let Me Wait (1975)

      Major Harris was born in Virginia and spent his early years singing in various groups in and around his Richmond home, most notably, The Jarmels. He was called upon to replace Randy Cain in the group The Delfonics in 1971, but they were on a downward trajectory following the departure of producer Thom Bell and after less than two years left to begin a solo career.
     His first single, "Each Morning I Wake Up" did well on the dance charts, but it was the second single, "Love Won't Let Me Wait", written by Vinnie Barrett and Bobby Eli which stormed up the charts. It was the only top ten hit for Harris on the pop charts, and was also number 1 on the R&B list. He had a couple more minor hits, but it had all but dried up by the end of 1976. With his run as a solo artist complete, he rejoined The Delfonics and toured with them up until his death in November of 2012 at the age of 65.

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Emmylou Harris--Boulder to Birmingham (1975)

     Emmylou Harris has one of the purest voices in any genre, and much like Neil Young, she has followed her muse at all times, encouraging her fans to follow along. This has made her impossible to pigeon-hole, but has won her fans from all genres, picking up a dozen Grammys along the way. She has recorded many memorable songs, but this one is one of my favorites.
      Harris was admitted to the University of North Carolina-Greensboro on a drama scholarship when she began to take music more seriously. Beginning heavily into folk music she dropped out and moved to New York where she produced her first album in 1969, married, had a child, and soon divorced. She moved moved back to Maryland with her parents to start the new decade.
     She soon returned to singing and in 1971 was heard by Chris Hillman, then of the Flying Burrito Brothers. After briefly considering asking her to become a member of the group, referred her to Gram Parsons who had just left to pursue a solo career. Personally they hit it off immediately. Parsons introduced her to his brand of country rock, and she brought a crystalline voice that was made for his. Although never romantic, she was totally devastated by his death in 1973.   (Harris has some interesting comments on this in an article from The Independent: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/emmylou-harris-i-smoked-country-music-but-i-didnt-inhale-2267867.html)
      Thanks to Linda Ronstadt, she got a record deal with Warner and released the 1975 album, "Pieces of the Sky" which contained, "Boulder to Birmingham" which was the first of many attempts to sort out Gram's life, death, and their relationship to one another. It has remained a fan favorite, and laid out the template for her future in music as the torch bearer of his country rock vision.

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The Carpenters--Hurting Each Other (1972)

     It was 1972 when The Carpenters reached number two with this song, becoming easily the biggest charting version of the song, but it has had an interesting recorded history.
     Written by Gary Geld and Peter Udell in 1965, it was first recorded by Jimmy Clanton later that year on Mala Records. This version (which has a more urgent sound) reminds you of something The Righteous Brothers would have recorded. The Walker Brothers recorded a version in 1966 that had a similar feel. Chad Allen & the Reflections, which was the early version of The Guess Who put a bit more of a pop twist to it.  It was released in Canada in early 1966 and reached the top 20.

     The earliest version of the tune in the form we know it by now comes from the singer Ruth Lewis in 1966. Notice how the urgency of the music has been smoothed out and it has become more of a ballad.

     A later version by Ruby and the Romantics in 1969 attempted to split the difference with a bossa nova style verse and a more straightforward ballad chorus. You can find this on You Tube, but to me, all of the energy was taken out of the song going back and forth. It might have been the version to break through on the US charts if it had made up it's mind where it was going.
     It wasn't until the Carpenters took the song that it became a massive hit and looking back at the other versions it was easy to see why. Richard took the urgency out of the music and gave it their patented soft rock sheen. It was replaced by the heartbreaking sadness of Karen's voice. It was a perfect marriage of lyric to voice and one of their best.

    

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Linda Ronstadt diganosed with Parkinson's

     The devastating news crossed my desk tonight that Linda Ronstadt's career is over. The article found here: http://blog.aarp.org/2013/08/23/linda-ronstadt-discloses-her-battle-with-parkinsons-disease/  discloses that she has known for about eight months, but was having symptoms for several years before. On uneven ground she uses a cane, and travels with the use of a wheelchair.
     For many of us Linda and Stevie Nicks defined 70's LA style rock/pop. As the 70's turned to the 80's however, Ronstadt felt confined by the barriers of pop and spent the last 30 years traveling through the great American songbook, country, Spanish-language songs, children's music, and her last effort, 2006's, "Adieu False Heart" a Cajun flavored collaboration with Ann Savoy. She is easily the true definition of a musical renaissance woman.
     All of us wish to leave our profession on our own terms, but not all of us do. Artists of all kinds however leave a recorded legacy that keep them forever young, forever strong, and forever a part of our musical lexicon. Our thoughts, energy, and prayers go out to her as she continues to fight a much different battle. 
     

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Hagood Hardy--The Homecoming (1975)

     As I have mentioned in previous blogs, inspiration for songs literally come from anywhere. As early as the late 60's the lines began to blur between Madison Avenue and the Hot 100. Many of you might know The Carpenters' hit, "We've Only Just Begun" started with Richard Carpenter hearing the tune used on a TV ad for a bank. Just a few years later, a Canadian composer had a hit based on a ad for tea.
     Hardy had a very successful career on the vibraphone, piano and other percussion instruments. He played in several well known bands in the early 60's behind great names such as Herbie Mann and Martin Denny. In the late 60's he began writing jingles for television and radio and soon branched out into films as well.
     The genesis of "The Homecoming" began as an ad for Salada Tea in 1972. He fleshed out the snippet used for the promotion and released the song just prior to Christmas in 1975. The song became a hit around the world, and just missed hitting the top 40 here in the states. It's easy listening style was set more for an older crowd, but it's smooth easy sound impressed many a listener. He continued recording up to his death in 1997.

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John Handy--Hard Work (1976)

     Not sure what it is this week, but we seem to be covering artists who are noted more for their jazz career than anything on the pop charts, but here is another example of that with John Handy and, "Hard Work".
     Handy got his start playing with the Charlie Mingus band in the 1950's. He later formed his own group in the mid-60's and recorded several landmark albums including their performance at the Monterrey Jazz Festival in 1965.
     Although he is most noted for playing the alto saxophone, the man has been known to play just about any type of reed instrument. His only placement on the pop charts was with a shortened version of this song in 1976. He continues to tour, although his last album to my knowledge was back in the late 90's. We will present the short and the long version for you listening pleasure.

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Herbie Hancock--Chameleon (1974)

     In high school, many of my friends were in Jazz Band. I was never good enough to get in on my own, but used to go with them to festivals and contests, which if nothing else, broadened my palate of music. Through that, I have come, if not to love, than to certainly have a knowledge of, and appreciation of 70's era jazz. Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, and Herbie Hancock were some of my favorites to this day. The only one of those three who attempted a broader pop audience was Hancock.
     Herbie was born in Chicago in 1940 and by his early 20's was beginning to catch the attention of some of the jazz greats, in particular trumpeter Miles Davis, who invited the young pianist to join what was to be known as the Second Great Quartet. Before leaving the band and forming his own in 1968, he began to branch out on the Fender-Rhodes Piano, and some early electric keyboards, which would point the way to the 70's.
    That decade would be one of non-stop growth as he began a life long love of keyboards and all gadgets electronic. He also began a turn towards trends away from straight jazz. Funk, pop, and later in that decade, disco, would all find themselves incorporated within his mix. This turn to a broader based jazz sound would also find himself hitting the charts on several occasions. The one most remembered would be, "Rockit" in 1983 due to it's cutting edge (at the time) video which found itself on regular rotation on MTV. Actually however, his most popular song was from 1974.
     "Chameleon" was off of the album, "Head Hunters", which has become one of the great jazz albums of the 70s. The album version was over fifteen minutes long, but of course was shortened greatly for top 40 consumption. This shorter version came very close to the top 40 (#42), and broadened Hancock's fan base. Having released his last album in 2010 at the age of 67, he doesn't seem ready to slow down at all. Below are a shorter version and also the album cut.

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Keith Hampshire--Daytime Night-Time (1973)

     Keith Hampshire is very well known in Canada not only as a rock singer, but of a song that has become somewhat of a theme for the Toronto Blue Jays baseball club. The song, "OK Blue Jays" recorded in 1983, is sung during the seventh inning stretch of home games. His version of, "The First Cut Is The Deepest" in 1973 reached number one on the Canadian charts. This song, which sounds a lot like fellow Canadian, David Clayton-Thomas of Blood, Sweat and Tears was the highest charting song of his career in the US reaching #51 in early 1973.

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Albert Hammond--It Never Rains in Southern California (1972)

     "It Never Rains in Southern California" seemed like one of the quintessential early 70's "California" songs, which in fact, it is, but author, singer Albert Hammond comes from climes much different that it's warm, sunny beaches.
     Hammond, born in London during the World War II in 1944 and quickly his family evacuated to Gibraltar where they stayed and raised their family. His first bands were located in Spain (which makes sense given the location of the tiny island), where he had a hand in the development of the rock scene in that country. He founded the UK group, "The Family Dogg" in 1966 and they scored a top 40 hit in 1969 called,  "A Way of Life".
     He became better known in the 70's as a songwriter, penning the UK hits, "Little Arrows" for Leapy Lee and "Gimmie Dat Ding" for The Pipkins in 1970. Upon moving to the United States the next year he continued writing and also recording solo. This brought his biggest hit, "It Never Rains in Southern California" in 1972. Throughout the decade, Hammond was on the charts, but never with the success of that song.
     However, there are more than a few songs that has his songwriting stamp on it that DID hit big in the coming decade. "The Air That I Breathe" by The Hollies in 1974, "When I Need You" by Leo Sayer in 1976,  and perhaps his most popular song, a co-write with Hal David, "To All The Girls I've Loved Before" by Julio Igesias and Willie Nelson in 1984.
     Hammond has also written hits for Starship ("Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" with Diane Warren), Diana Ross, and Tina Turner. He's also well known for his work as a songwriter in Spain, where he continues to record from his home base in Gibraltar.

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Marvin Hamlisch--The Entertainer (1974)

     This past Tuesday (Aug. 6), we marked the first anniversary of the death of one of our generations greatest composers. Marvin Hamlisch was on 68, but had a great impact on the world of musical theater. He won an Oscar, an Emmy, Grammy, Tony. He won a Pulizer prize in 1975 (for "A Chorus Line") and is only one of two (composer Richard Rogers being the other) to have won all five of those awards. His listing of songwriting credits in a more pop vein is impressive as well. He won an Oscar for, "The Way we Were" in 1974, and was nominated in 1977 for, "Nobody Does It Better" and in 1980 for, "Through the Eyes of Love".
     Hamlisch, who was born in Manhattan, was a child prodigy who at the age of seven had been accepted into the Juilliard Pre-College school. His first hit was a song he co-wrote with Howard Liebling at the age of 21. "Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows" was a hit in 1965 for Lesley Gore. This began to open other doors including being the rehearsal pianist for "Funny Girl" which began a long association with  Barbara Streisand. This job led him to score the music for the film, "The Swimmer" in 1968.
     He did a number of movie scores but was not known world-wide until 1974. It was this year where, "The Way We Were" and "The Sting" both were released. We mentioned Hamlisch's involvement with the Streisand/Redford movie, but what got him on the map on the charts as an artist was from the latter movie.
     "The Sting", a movie starring Robert Redford (who had quite a 1974 as well), and Paul Newman. The movie did well enough at the box office, but what made it stand out was it's period piece music. Hamlisch had written several songs for the movie, but seven of the songs were written by the great Ragtime composer/performer, Scott Joplin. The song not only reached number three on the charts, it sparked a renaissance of Ragtime music in general, and of Joplin's work specifically.  

 

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Hamilton, Joe Frank, and Reynolds--Don't Pull Your Love (1971)/Falling In Love (1975)

     This trio can trace it's linage back to the mid 60s as a group called the T-Bones, which was put together to go on the road to support the single, "No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach's In). It had been done by studio musicians previously and ended up becoming a hit.  Dan Hamilton (guitar, lead vocals), Joe Frank Carollo (bass, vocals), and Tommy Reynolds (multi-instrumentals, vocals) pattered their sound after The Venturas, which Hamilton was a part of at one time. They stayed together for a couple of years, but after succeeding recorded went nowhere, the group broke up.
     Several years later the trio reformed under the name, Hamilton, Joe Frank, and Reynolds and was signed by Dunhill Records. Their first single, "Don't Pull Your Love" became a top five hit in the summer of 1971.

     A couple more songs barely missed the top 40, but late in 1972, Reynolds left the band. Hamilton and Carollo brought in a couple more musicians and continued to tour locally, but the singles stopped after mi-72. They brought in Alan Dennison as a permanent replacement and began looking for a new record company since Dunhill had dropped them.
     Their wishes were answered in the form of Playboy Records, who would sign them on the proviso that they retained the name, Hamilton, Joe Frank, and Reynolds. The idea obviously was that a "known" name would have a better chance of having a hit. We can't be sure of that had anything to do with it, but in 1975, the song, "Fallin' In Love" climbed all the way to the number one spot. The follow up, "Winners and Losers" climbed to #21 as well.

     1976 brought several more charting song, but nothing approaching their previous successes. It also brought a name change to the more correct, "Hamilton, Joe Frank, and Dennison". The continued touring as a group until 1980 until they packed it in for good.  

    

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Arlo Guthrie--The City of New Orleans (1972)

     I wonder what it must be like to be the child of a musical icon? Some go into the same musical profession such as what Lisa Marie Presley or Nancy Sinatra has done, but there must be an enormous amount of pressure since the father of those two ladies were true musical superstars. For Arlo Guthrie however, it was probably even more so because his father was as much a political and social icon than he was a musical one. There isn't a person that was raised in this country over the last 50-plus years that hasn't committed to memory at least one Woody Guthrie song. "Roll on Columbia" and of course, "This Land is Your Land" is a major part of this county's musical lexicon
      For Arlo, who was born in 1947, his father's influence was mostly transmitted to him through his mother and friends as Woody, because of what was eventually diagnoses as Huntington's disease moved from New York to California when Arlo was 5 because he thought his erratic behavior would be a danger to his children. His parents would eventually divorce although when he was admitted to a hospital for the last time in 1956 (for the next 9 years), his mother Marjorie would help care for him until his death in 1967.
     Arlo grew up surrounded by some of the greatest folk artists of his time. Pete Seeger, Leadbelly, Ramblin' Jack Elliot and many others. Given that, it's not surprising that from the first time he sang on stage in 1961 at the age of 13, he was singing folk. It was a perfect time for that as well as folk music was going through a major renaissance. He worked on his craft, and when he went into the studio for the first time, it was to record the album that he is best known for, the classic, "Alice's Restaurant". The eighteen minute long title track was a song which tapped into his dad's political legacy, without seeming heavy handed (in fact it's very funny). Arlo was never much of a force on the charts however, except for, "City of New Orleans".
     Written by Steve Goodman, it is a song which Guthrie makes his own. The haunting lyrics and a production that gives a real warmth to the proceedings, propelled the song into the top 20 in the late summer of 1972. Guthrie continues to record, and tour non-stop, with his blend of folk and political songs. He has also done some acting, writing and promotes the group founded by his mother, The Committee to Combat Huntington's Disease  Much more about Arlo can be found here: http://www.arlo.net/

      
     

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The Guess Who--American Woman (1970)

     The Guess Who's roots go all the way back to 1958 with the formation of Al and the Silvertones with Chad Allan at the helm. A few years later the name developed into Chad Allen and the Reflections by 1962. By this time Randy Bachman was with the group on guitar. Because of the success of a US group called the Reflections, they were forced to change once again to Chad Allen and the Expressions. During this time, they had released a few singles, but had not really made much of a name for themselves.
      This changed in 1965 with the release of "Shakin' All Over", which not only caught on in Canada, but which almost cracked the top 20 in the US. In a ploy to have listeners mistake them for a British Invasion group, the record company (Quality) printed "Guess Who?" on the 45's. No one knows if this had any influence on it's popularity, but before you knew it, DJ's and radio listeners knew the band as "Guess Who". The band's hand again was forced, and the name changed for the last time.
     Late that year, the keyboard player left and was replaced by Burton Cummings, who also shared vocals with Chad Allan. This only lasted a few months before Allen left the band and Cummings became lead singer. The next several years were spent writing and touring. They had a gig on a Canadian TV show called, "Let's Go" where they were the house band. The network wanted them to play covers that were as close to the originals, but also encouraged them to work on their own material as well. This allowed them to get a paycheck, but also to work on songs that would eventually produce fruit by the end of the decade with the album, "Wheatfield Soul" in 1969.
     A classic album, "Wheatfield Soul" and it's follow up, "Canned Wheat" produced four top 40 singles in the US. The peak of the popularity however, was with the number one single, "American Woman" from 1970. In an interview, Cummings explains the genesis of the song:

     "  …it was jammed onstage one night in Mississauga, Ontario, we were playing at a club called the Broom & Stone which was actually a curling rink and doing two shows that night. I guess we hadn’t gotten that big yet. Between the two shows, I was outside bartering with this kid, he had some old Gene Vincent records that I wanted to get for my collection and tried to strike-up a deal with this guy. The next thing I know, it’s time to start the second show and the other three guys have gone back onstage and I hear them start this riff … (Burton began mimicking the opening riff to “American Woman.”) I said to this guy … Oh my God; I’m supposed to be onstage man, I’ve got to run, I’ll see you later about these Gene Vincent records.”
“I run inside and run up onto the stage and just grab a microphone and started singing whatever came into my head; it was all stream of consciousness at the moment stuff … all that stuff about war machines and ghetto scenes, colored lights can hypnotize …it was all just spur- of- the- moment. And nobody would have ever heard it again but there happened to be a kid bootlegging the show that night. This was way back in the 60’s and he had a cassette machine, and those machines were a relatively new invention at that time. But this was 1968, forty-five years ago. We noticed this onstage as the night went on and he still kept recording. So we motioned to our road manager… go get that tape-go get that tape! He got the cassette tape and we listened to it later and heard this jam about American Woman stay away from me. So we actually kind of learned it from that tape, otherwise nobody would have ever heard it again. So talk about a Cinderella story. And that was a monstrous hit record for us; it was number one on Billboard for three weeks. So it was all an accident, I guess the music Gods were smiling on us. The music Gods probably sent that kid with the cassette machine.”
“When RCA heard “American Woman,” the guy that was head of A&R was listening and he threw up his newspaper in the air and said, “That’s a number one record!”" (courtesy of examiner.com, July 23, 2013...link to full interview here:  http://ww(w.examiner.com/article/burton-cummings-the-guess-who-legend-reveals-true-origin-of-american-woman)

    Bachman left the group because of some physical issues. He was to surface later with his own group, Bachman-Turner Overdrive. Am not sure how this effected the writing (him and Cummings co-wrote many of their hits), but they never had the same success after American Woman. This isn't to say they didn't have success as three more top 20 songs would attest ("Hand Me Down World", "Share the Land", "Clap for the Wolfman") , but as the decade of the 70's went on they became fewer and fewer until the group disbanded in 1975.

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Henry Gross--Shannon (1976)

     Inspiration for songs come from a myriad of places, in the case of the song, "Shannon" it was from a dog, and not just his dog, but Carl Wilson's as well. Here, let him tell you the story.

" I was touring around the country quite a lot in 1975 promoting an album called HENRY GROSS, the one with the yellow cover on A&M Records. I had the pleasure of doing long strings of dates with The Beach Boys, a group whose music always inspired me, Carl Wilson, lead singer on God Only Knows and Good Vibrations, was warm and welcoming from the very first show I played with them. Carl invited me to his house in Los Angeles to spend a day talking guitars, cars and rock & roll. While he was preparing lunch his two Alaskan husky dogs reached up on the counter and inhaled our food. Carl was no nice he couldn't stop apologizing but I told him, while admiring the military perfection of the raid executed by his huskies, that I had an Irish Setter at home named Shannon and had seen this act many times before! He was quite moved as he told me that he had an Irish Setter named Shannon that had been killed only recently when hit by a car. We spent the rest of the day jamming and driving around Carl's world, which as a friend and to be honest, a Beach Boy's fanatic, was quite a thrill.' (courtesy of Henry Gross' website:  http://www.henrygross.com)

     His career actually is quite varied. At the age of 18, he helped form, Sha Na Na, which was a rock and roll nostalgia act (quite likely the first as well). They played Woodstock and was a surprise hit of the festival, he was the youngest participant in the concert, and it launched their careers as performers. He didn't stay there long however, as by 1971 he was working on a solo career. He had several songs in the lower rungs of the top 100 before "Shannon", and except for it's follow-up ("Springtime Mama"  #36--1976) Henry never approached those heights again. In 1980 he performed in the road company of the musical, "Pump Boys and Dinettes" with fellow musicians Johnathan Edwards and Nicolette Lawson. In the mid-80's he moved to Nashville and began focusing mostly on songwriting, although he continues performing and recording as well.

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Larry Groce--Junk Food Junkie (1976)

     Those who are listeners to NPR might recognize the name Larry Groce, or better yet the show he founded in 1983, "Mountain Stage" which is produced by West Virginia Public Radio. His first claim to fame however, was this song which reached the top 10 in the winter of 1976.
     Groce, who was born and raised in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas which has produced many musicians and songwriters, started recording in 1969 and by 1972 had been named a National Endowment for the Arts, "artist in-residence", a title which he kept until 1985. He had enjoyed writing for children and after his success on the charts, did a series of albums for Disney which netted him six gold and two platinum albums. One of those albums, "Winnie-the-Pooh for President", won a Grammy in 1976.
     His show, mentioned at the beginning of this article is one of NPR's longest running shows, having aired over 750 broadcasts and highlighting established artists as well as up and comers. You can see more about the show here:  http://www.mountainstage.org/mtnstagepodcast.aspx

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Norman Greenbaum--Spirit In The Sky (1970)

     As the 60's hippie movement began to sour for many, the need to find something substantive on one's life led many back to more carnal pursuits (such as becoming yuppies in the 80's and attempting to make a pile of money), others continued to seek more spiritual things. This blossomed into what was known as the "Jesus Movement" on the west coast of the United States, many men and women became, "Jesus Freaks" and attempted to change the world through spiritual means.
     This manifested itself artistically into what was first known as "Jesus Music" and later morphed into what we now know as Contemporary Christian. In the world of pop and rock, other artists became more comfortable in using Christian imagery. Some were sincere in their reflections, others were just using it as another tool in the toolbag of lyrical creativity. Between a press which was pretty ignorant about all things spiritual, and a generation of Christian teens who praying for some merging between the church and the rock music they loved, any use of the word, "Jesus" or any inkling of Christianity brought a great deal of debate and discussion.
     For some reason, "Spirit In The Sky" was thought to be a Christian, and the use of the imagery WAS apparent, but Norman Greenbaum, who was and continues to be Jewish, pointed more towards his inspiration being television westerns...well that and a spiritual that he saw Porter Wagoner and 
Dolly Parton sing on TV. You can read more on him here: http://www.spiritinthesky.com/index.html

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Al Green--Let's Stay Together (1971)

     Whatever church preachers or atheists might say to the contrary, the line between the sacred and the profane is a pretty narrow when it comes to Soul music. After all, Ray Charles basically took the music from the Sunday morning meeting to Saturday night dance with no diluting of the form whatsoever. Of course, it could be argued that the emotions which fuel love for God are similar to the ones which fuel our passions in other areas. No one artist in the early 70's exemplified those emotions on both sides than the Reverend Al Green.
     Albert Greene was one of ten children born into a sharecropper's family in Forrest City, Arkansas. There was music in the home, and as they moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan Albert joined in a singing group with his brothers. They did some touring around the area, until his devoutly religious  father kicked him out of the group after catching the youngster listening to Jackie Wilson.
     While in high school, he started a group called, Al Greene & the Creations (later The Soul Mates), where they made a few recordings and caught the attention of a musician named Willie Mitchell who also owned Hi Records. The band leader hired Greene to front the band for a gig, and after it was impressed enough to offer the young singer a contract.
     Mitchell not only became his boss, but his mentor as they tried to find a vocal style. The first thing the men did was drop the "E" from Greene's name. His first two albums and several singles showed promise, and with the top 20 single, "Tired of Being Alone" in the fall of 1971, the ball really began to roll.  "Let's Stay Together" became his first and only number one, although the next seven singles over the entirety of 1972 and 73 all went top 20.  
      His life began to change however in 1974 after an incident where his then girlfriend, threw boiling grits on him after he told her that he was not interested in marriage. she then found his .38 pistol and killed herself. Besides being burned badly, her death started him on a path which led him to the ministry. He became an ordained minister at the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Memphis in 1976. He continued to tour and record, but by 1978 he was totally devoting himself to gospel music, which he would do for the next ten years.
     In 1988 he returned to secular music with, "Put a Little Love in Your Heart", a duet with Annie Lennox which was featured in the movie, "Scrooged" with Bill Murray. This began a comeback which is still ongoing as his latest album, "Lay It Down" in 2008 was his first top ten album in 35 years. He still continues  minister as the pastor of the Full Gospel Tabernacle.

     
    

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Dobie Gray--Drift Away (1973)

     About ten years ago, Uncle Kracker did the song, "Drift Away" with Dobie Grey. Many older types recognized it from the hit which Grey did in 1973. What many of both generations didn't know was the extent of his long career.
     Dobie, who was born near Houston, Texas in 1940 and who's career spanned soul, country, pop and even musical theater. His real name is a matter of conjuncture, but many think he was born Lawrence Darrow Brown. His grew up in a family of sharecroppers, and learned music from his grandfather who was a minister. In the early 60's, he moved to LA and recorded a few sides for local companies before meeting Sonny Bono who directed him to Stripe Records. Success eluded him, but it was there he was given the moniker, "Dobie Gray" as a take off the popular sitcom, "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis". It was 1963 that he had his first taste of chart action with the song, "Look at Me" which did well regionally. It was two years later before he found his way there again, but this time it was all the way to the top 20 with, "The In Crowd" which had been an instrumental hit for Ramsey Lewis earlier that year. Gray's vocal rendition made it to number 13.
     Getting a follow up success was difficult and in the meantime he took up acting, getting a spot in the LA production of the musical, "Hair" which he stayed on for over two years. When joining a band in 1970 called, "Pollution" which was probably best known for it's manager, Max Baer Jr. (Jethro from the Beverly Hillbillies) than for anything they put on vinyl.  During this time, he also recorded a series of demos with songwriter Paul Williams. It was Paul's brother, Mentor who produced Dobie's first solo album with Decca, who signed him in 1972. They went to Nashville to record, and it was one of Mentor's songs, "Drift Away" which became the single. It went to number 5 on the charts, and it's redo in 2003 with Uncle Kracker also hit the top ten.
     Although he recorded throughout the 70's with minor success, he moved to Nashville and concentrated on songwriting, writing for artists as diverse as Don Williams, George Jones, Johnny Mathis, and Ray Charles. He even had a moderate hit on the country charts with his single, "That's One To Grow On" in 1986. After his comeback to the charts in 03, he continued to tour until after a long battle with cancer he died in December of 2011.

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